Meet Danielle and Emily, the New Canaan moms behind SimplySortedCT. These two friends were on a walk during the pandemic, when Danielle shared how she wanted to get an organizing company off the ground. The two bonded over the idea and decided to go into business together. For the holidays, they are all about getting organized and Shopping Small and Local. Find out how they help clients and what their go-to spots are in town.
How many children do you have and what are their ages?
Danielle: I have an 8-year-old daughter, a 6-year-old son and a 12-year-old step-daughter.
Emily: I have 3 girls; ages are 4, 7 and 9.
What brought you and your family to New Canaan?
Danielle: After having three children in NYC, we decided we needed more space and wanted to find a town with great schools and a loving community. I’m originally from Princeton, NJ, so we looked for a similar “walking town” and fell in love with New Canaan as soon as we saw it.
Emily: We loved living in NYC but quickly outgrew the apartment life when the girls were born. Great schools, caring community and the darling downtown really sold us on New Canaan. Our town is such a special place, and we couldn’t be happier here.
What’s your favorite aspect about being part of the community?
Danielle: New Canaan is a truly special town. You can’t walk down Elm Street without seeing someone you know. The people in our community look out for each other and for our children.
Emily: New Canaan is like no other. We pride ourselves on our community and helping others. It’s amazing to see how we come together to support anyone who is in need. Little acts of kindness go a long way and we teach that to our families.
What’s your favorite family activity to do in the area?
Danielle: Our favorite activity is the annual Fourth of July fireworks, when the entire community comes together for a huge picnic. We also love the parks in our town and spend a tremendous amount of time at Mead Park and of course the Apple Cart! There’s also nothing like the holidays in New Canaan. Elm and Main Street are truly magical when they are all lit up.
Emily: There are so many wonderful traditions in our quaint town. From the parades to 4th of July fireworks, but our favorite is the holiday stroll. It is a magical night, and you literally feel like you are in a Hallmark Christmas movie.
Tell us about Simply Sorted CT, how you two met and your path to entrepreneurship?
We were introduced by mutual friends a few years ago. Pre-pandemic we shared a love of Barre classes and we worked out together. We started walking during the pandemic as a safe way to exercise and stay connected. Danielle shared that she wanted to get her casual organizing business off the ground and Emily quickly mentioned that she would love to do it together. After lots of laughs trying to come up with the right name for their business SimplySortedCT was born!
What are some benefits of organizing and creating an orderly space?
Life in general is so busy, whether you have children or not. When your home is organized, you feel less stressed and can enjoy the things that really matter. When we meet with a client, we don’t just organize their home. We get to know them and learn their habits. We create systems that help each client keep their homes “Simply Sorted.” They are able to easily find things, put things away or recognize what they need when they are running low on something before they run out. No two clients are the same. We tailor each job so the products we use not only stay within our client’s budget, but also suit their design aesthetic in their home!
For someone looking to get organized, what is the first piece of advice you’d share?
PURGE! PURGE! PURGE! We like to make 3 piles…keep, pitch and donate. The biggest mistake we see is that clients associate organizing with buying more stuff! Don’t go out and buy bins and containers until you have sorted and organized what you have!
For those who may be holding on to too many items, or not know where to start, what’s the best way to overcome project procrastination?
Other than calling us? Lol! We always ask our clients two simple questions, when was the last time you used that item and would you use it today if you could? More often than not, clients will get rid of over 75% more if someone else is there with them holding them accountable to those two questions! It’s easy to hold onto something because “it’s nice” or you “used to really like it”, that doesn’t mean it should take up space in your home.
Can you share with us more about your organizing methods? Do you have a favorite part of the process?
Danielle: I absolutely love helping people purge. It always turns out to be so much more therapeutic for the client than they expect, and the clothing goes to someone else who needs it!
Emily: I love getting to know the client and being creative with their needs. Making something super special just for them! Also, nothing is better than a good donation pile. Packing up items for a local charity is such a great feeling!
What is your go-to shop for stand out products that you use, be it storage containers, baskets, labels?
We don’t necessarily have one “go to.” Our top stores are The Container Store, Bed Bath and Beyond, Ikea and we have partners like iDesign, Pottery Barn and William Sonoma who ship to us directly.
Do you have any advice for other working moms considering entrepreneurship?
Do it and Do it now! Since we started our business, quite a few of our friends have found the confidence to start their own small businesses and it’s been incredible to see more women owned businesses popping up and doing so well!
What’s the best advice you’ve gotten from another mom?
Time goes by so fast, try to stay in the present and enjoy the little moments!
How do you unwind when you need some “me time?”
WE WALK!!!! Whether we are together or not, one of the most positive things to come out of the pandemic is that when we need to clear our heads or talk something out, we throw on our sneakers and walk.
Any words of wisdom?
Danielle: I once read about the one-touch method, and I try to always follow that rule. If you pick something up, touch it once and put it in its final place, rather than moving it somewhere else it doesn’t belong. By doing this, you will create less clutter and save time and energy!
Emily: Don’t have more than one pile or drop zone! Kitchen counters are notorious for this! Life takes over and the small pile can become a mountain in no time! Set a schedule to go through the dreaded area once or twice a week to keep it manageable. Getting your house organized takes time so give yourself the time. Start with a small job like the Tupperware drawer and go from there. If the bottom doesn’t have a matching top, then pitch it!!
Anything to add?
We are so grateful to all of our clients and followers. We love hearing from you. Keep the questions and comments coming. We have so many fun tips and projects to share with you all!
We love supporting local businesses. Favorite places in town (or near town) to…
Have dinner with kids: With kids, Spiga and the New Canaan Diner.
Dinner without kids: ELM, we need a punch card for the thousands of Kale salads we have both eaten there over the last few years.
Grab a drink with friends: TBE – The Back End or Uncorked
Have a date night: Solé – Half off bottles of wine on Tuesday!
Spend time together as a family: Mead Park
Shop: There are so many amazing stores in town, if we need a gift our go to’s are always WAVE, GROOVE and She La La. For clothing, TOGS will never disappoint. We are so lucky to have these stores downtown. These are also all women owned businesses and are a part of what makes our community so amazing!
Spa/salon (or anywhere you go to treat yourself): We are both ECO CHIC regulars on Forest Street & for hair we both see Caitlin at Noelle Salon!
Grab coffee: Dolce is such a gem. They have great coffee and food and wonderful outdoor seating on Elm!
Favorite Studio: Forme Barre, they did an amazing job of transitioning to online during the pandemic to keep offering classes to their clients.
Any hidden treasures or other favorites you want to share? We both love CAS Studios, the newest art studio to open on Elm. We can’t forget to mention Walter Stewart’s. They kept this town going during the pandemic and everyone who works there is absolutely wonderful! They are family owned and hire the best people. It truly is your neighborhood grocery store!
For more information on SimplySortedCT, visit them at their website or follow them on Instagram!
Photos @juliadags
Clothing @togsct
Jewelry @wavenewcanaan